Method of laser processing a component within an assembled apparatus using a boroscope

ABSTRACT

A method of laser processing a component within an assembled apparatus using a boroscope, which includes a working head having first and second ends. A first optical fiber extends through the boroscope to a position between the first and second ends. A second optical fiber extends through the boroscope to the second end. A laser optical fiber extends through the boroscope. At least one lens is arranged between the first and second ends of the working head and a mirror is gimballed to the second end. The laser optical fiber directs laser light transmitted through the laser optical fiber onto the lens and then onto the mirror. A first LED is arranged at a position between the first and second ends of the working head and a second LED is arranged at the second end and an actuator device adjust the position of the mirror.

This is a Division of application Ser. No. 13/967,750 filed Aug. 15,2013, which claims priority to GB 1216703.7 filed Sep. 19, 2012. Thedisclosures of the prior applications are hereby incorporated byreference herein in their entireties.

The present invention relates to a boroscope and a method of laserprocessing a component within an assembled apparatus and in particularrelates to a flexible baroscope and a method of laser processing acomponent within an assembled apparatus using a flexible horoscope.

Currently boroscopes are used to view internal components within anassembled gas turbine engine, or other engine, machine, apparatus etc,to determine if the components within the gas turbine engine are damagedand need repair or replacement or if they are undamaged and do notrequire repair or replacement. The use of boroscopes enables thecomponents within the gas turbine engine, or other engine, machine,apparatus etc, to be viewed without having to disassemble the gasturbine engine into modules or sub modules.

There are two types of boroscopes, e.g. rigid boroscopes and flexibleboroscopes. Rigid boroscopes are inserted into an assembled apparatusthrough an aperture in a casing to enable components within line ofsight to be viewed. Flexible horoscopes are also inserted into anassembled apparatus through an aperture in the casing and the boroscopemay be continuously inserted and maneuvered so that components deeperwithin the apparatus, and not within line of sight, of the aperture maybe viewed.

The flexible boroscopes are maneuvered, or controlled, using cableswithin the boroscope which are pulled by motors in the control unit ofthe flexible boroscope.

It has been proposed to provide a suitable optical fibre which extendsthrough the full length of the flexible boroscope so that a laser beammay transmitted through the optical fibre and be used to processcomponents within the gas turbine engine, other engine, machine,apparatus etc, e.g. to laser clean a dirty component, to laser machine adamaged component or to deposit material to repair a damaged component.

However, the use of an optical fibre to transmit a laser beam within aflexible boroscope as mentioned above to carry out these processes isnot suitable because the use of the cables pulled by the motors toposition the flexible boroscope to carry out laser processing are slowto respond and do not give sufficient accuracy.

Accordingly the present invention seeks to provide a boroscope whichreduces, preferably overcomes, the above mentioned problems.

Accordingly the present invention provides a boroscope comprising aworking head, the working head having a first end and a second end, afirst optical fibre extending through the boroscope to a positionbetween the first end and the second end of the working head, a secondoptical fibre extending through the boroscope to the second end of theworking head, a laser optical fibre extending through the boroscope, amirror adjustably mounted on the working head, the laser optical fibrebeing arranged to direct laser light transmitted through the laseroptical fibre onto the mirror on the working head, a first light sourcearranged at a position between the first end and the second end of theworking head, a second light source arranged at the second end of theworking head, and an actuator device to adjust the position of themirror.

At least one lens may be arranged between the first end and the secondend of the working head, the laser optical fibre being arranged todirect laser light transmitted through the laser optical fibre onto theat least one lens within the working head and then onto the mirror onthe working head. The mirror may be adjustably mounted to the second endof the working head.

The boroscope may comprise a flexible hollow member having a first endand a second end, the working head being arranged at the second end ofthe hollow member, the first end of the working head being arrangedadjacent the second end of the hollow member and the second end of theworking head being arranged remote from the hollow member, the firstoptical fibre extending through the hollow member from the first end ofthe hollow member to the position between the first end and the secondend of the working head, the second optical fibre extending through thehollow member and the working head from the first end of the hollowmember to the second end of the working head, the laser optical fibreextending through the hollow member from the first end to the second endof the hollow member.

Preferably the first light source is arranged to direct light with acomponent of direction transverse to the axis of the boroscope, the endof the first optical fibre is arranged to receive light travelling witha component of direction transverse to the axis of the boroscope, thesecond light source is arranged to direct light with a component ofdirection parallel to the axis of the boroscope and the end of thesecond optical fibre is arranged to receive light travelling with acomponent of direction parallel to the axis of the boroscope.

Preferably the first light source and/or the second light sourcecomprise a light emitting diode.

The adjustable mounting may be arranged to change the angle of themirror relative to the axis of the at least one lens. The adjustablemounting may comprises two perpendicular axes of rotation and the mirroris rotatable about the two axes of rotation.

The mirror may be adjustably mounted on the second end of the workinghead by a gimballed mounting. The actuator device may comprise agalvanometer mechanism.

The mirror may be adjustably mounted on the second end of the workinghead by a micro-electro-mechanical system and the actuator devicecomprises the micro-electro-mechanical system.

Preferably a pipe extends through the boroscope to a position betweenthe first and second ends of the working head and a device is arrangedto supply powder material through the pipe.

The first optical fibre may surround the laser optical fibre to providea cladding for the laser optical fibre.

Preferably the working head comprises a first cylindrical portion at thefirst end of the working head, a second part cylindrical portion at thesecond end of the working head and a third portion interconnecting thefirst cylindrical portion and the second part cylindrical portion.

Preferably the first light source and the at least one lens are arrangedin the first cylindrical portion, the second light source and the mirrorare arranged on the second part cylindrical portion.

The present invention also provides a method of laser processing acomponent within an assembled apparatus, the apparatus comprising acasing enclosing the component, the casing having at least one apertureextending there-through, the method comprising:

-   -   a) inserting a baroscope through the aperture, the boroscope        comprising a working head, the working head having a first end        and a second end, a first optical fibre extending through the        baroscope to a position between the first end and the second end        of the working head, a second optical fibre extending through        the baroscope to the second end of the working head, a laser        optical fibre extending through the baroscope, a mirror        adjustably mounted on the working head, the laser optical fibre        being arranged to direct laser light transmitted through the        laser optical fibre onto the mirror on the working head, a first        light source arranged at a position between the first end and        the second end of the working head, a second light source        arranged at the second end of the working head and an actuator        device to adjust the position of the mirror,    -   b) viewing the assembled apparatus within the casing using the        second optical fibre,    -   c) viewing the assembled apparatus within the casing using the        second optical fibre while moving the working head of the        baroscope to the component,    -   d) transmitting a laser beam through the laser optical fibre to        the mirror,    -   e) reflecting the laser beam off the mirror onto a surface of        the component to process the surface of the component, and    -   f) viewing the surface of the component and the laser beam with        the first optical fibre to monitor the processing of the surface        of the component.

Step e) may comprise adjusting the position of the mirror to move thelaser beam over the surface of the component.

Step e) may comprise cleaning the surface of the component.

The boroscope may comprise a pipe extending through the boroscope to aposition between the first and second ends of the working head and adevice is arranged to supply powder material through the pipe, and stepe) comprises supplying a powder material through the pipe onto thesurface of the component and melting the powder material with the laserbeam.

Step e) may comprise supplying a welding material to weld the component,to repair a crack in the component, to weld the component to anothercomponent or to build up a worn portion of the component.

Step e) may comprise supplying a coating material to provide a coatingon the component or to repair a coating on the component.

The assembled apparatus may comprise a gas turbine engine. The componentmay comprise a compressor blade, a compressor vane, a turbine blade or aturbine vane.

The present invention will be more fully described by way of examplewith reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is cut-away view of a turbofan gas turbine engine.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view through a compressor of theturbofan gas turbine engine showing use of a boroscope of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged perspective view of a working head of theboroscope within the compressor of the turbofan gas turbine engine.

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged cross-sectional view of the working head ofthe boroscope shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view of the working head of the boroscope in the directionof arrow A in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a view of the working head of the boroscope in the directionof arrow B in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a view of the working head of the boroscope in the directionof arrow B in FIG. 4 with the end of the working head cut away.

FIG. 8 is a further enlarged cross-sectional view of an alternativeworking head of the boroscope shown in FIG. 3.

A turbofan gas turbine engine 10, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises in flowseries an intake 11, a fan 12, an intermediate pressure compressor 13, ahigh pressure compressor 14, a combustor 15, a high pressure turbine 16,an intermediate pressure turbine 17, a low pressure turbine 18 and anexhaust 19. The high pressure turbine 16 is arranged to drive the highpressure compressor 14 via a first shaft 26. The intermediate pressureturbine 17 is arranged to drive the intermediate pressure compressor 13via a second shaft 28 and the low pressure turbine 18 is arranged todrive the fan 12 via a third shaft 30. In operation air flows into theintake 11 and is compressed by the fan 12. A first portion of the airflows through, and is compressed by, the intermediate pressurecompressor 13 and the high pressure compressor 14 and is supplied to thecombustor 15. Fuel is injected into the combustor 15 and is burnt in theair to produce hot exhaust gases which flow through, and drive, the highpressure turbine 16, the intermediate pressure turbine 17 and the lowpressure turbine 18. The hot exhaust gases leaving the low pressureturbine 18 flow through the exhaust 19 to provide propulsive thrust. Asecond portion of the air bypasses the main engine to provide propulsivethrust.

The intermediate pressure compressor 13, as shown more clearly in FIG.2, comprises a rotor 36 carrying a plurality of stages of compressorrotor blades 38 and a stator 40 carrying a plurality of stages ofcompressor stator vanes 42. The compressor rotor blades 38 in each stageare circumferentially spaced and extend generally radially outwardlyfrom the rotor 36. The compressor stator vanes 42 in each stage arecircumferentially spaced and extend generally radially inwardly from thestator 40. The stator 40 also comprises a plurality of shrouds 44axially interconnecting the stages of compressor stator vanes 42 and theshrouds 44 are positioned radially around a corresponding one of thestages of compressor rotor blades 38. The stator 40 of the intermediatepressure compressor 28 also comprises an outer compressor casing 50 andthe outer compressor casing 50 is provided with one or more apertures 52to allow access for boroscopes and/or repair devices. In addition theradially outer platforms 54 of one or more of the compressor statorvanes 42 have one or more apertures 56 to allow access for boroscopesand/or repair devices. The shrouds 44 axially interconnecting the stagesof compressor stator vanes 42 form a portion of an inner compressorcasing 58. The compressor stator vanes 42 also have radially innerplatforms 55.

A baroscope 60, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, comprises a flexible hollowmember 62 having a first end 64 and a second end 66. A working head 68is arranged at the second end 66 of the hollow member 62 and the workinghead 68 has a first end 70 adjacent the second end 66 of the hollowmember 62 and a second end 72 remote from the second end 66 of thehollow member 62. The first end 70 of the working head 68 is immediatelynext to and attached to the second end 66 of the hollow member 62. Afirst optical fibre 74 extends through the hollow member 62 from thefirst end 64 of the hollow member 62 to a position between the first end70 and the second end 72 of the working head 68. A second optical fibre76 extends through the hollow member 62 and the working head 68 from thefirst end 64 of the hollow member 62 to the second end 72 of the workinghead 68. A third optical fibre 78 extends through the hollow member 62from the first end 64 to the second end 66 of the hollow member 62. Thethird optical fibre 76 is suitable for conducting a laser beamthere-through. At least one lens 80 is arranged between the first end 70and the second end 72 of the working head 68 and a mirror 82 issupported on the second end 72 of the working head 68 by a gimballedmounting 84 to the second end 72 of the working head 68. The thirdoptical fibre 78 is arranged to direct laser light L transmitted throughthe third optical fibre 78 onto the at least one lens 80 within theworking head 68 and then through the at least one lens 80 onto themirror 82 at the second end 72 of the working head 68. A first lightsource 86 is arranged at a position between the first end 70 and thesecond end 72 of the working head 68 and a second light source 88 isarranged at the second end 72 of the working head 68. Actuator devices90 and 92 are arranged to adjust the position of the mirror 82.

The first light source 86 is arranged to direct light with a componentof direction transverse to the axis of the boroscope 60 and is arrangedto direct light with a component of direction parallel to the axis ofthe boroscope 60. The end 75 of the first optical fibre 74 is arrangedto receive light travelling with a component of direction transverse tothe axis of the boroscope 60. The second light source 88 is arranged todirect light with a component of direction parallel to the axis of theboroscope 60 and the end 77 of the second optical fibre 76 is arrangedto receive light travelling with a component of direction parallel tothe axis of the boroscope 60.

The first light source 86 and/or the second light source 88 compriselight emitting diodes, but other suitable light sources may be used, andelectrical cables 94 and 96 extend through the hollow member 62 from thefirst end 64 of the hollow member 62 to the first and second lightsources 86 and 88 respectively. The actuator devices 90 and 92 comprisegalvanometer mechanisms to rotate the mirror 82 about one or the otheror both of the axes of rotation X and Y of the gimballed mounting 84 andelectrical cables 98 and 100 extend through the hollow member 62 fromthe first end 62 to the actuator devices 90 and 92 respectively. Thegimballed mounting 84 is arranged to change the angle of the mirror 82relative to the axis of the at least one lens 80.

A pipe 102 extends through the hollow member 62 from the first end 64 ofthe hollow member 62 to a position between the first and second ends 70and 72 respectively of the working head 68 and a device is arranged tosupply suitable material, e.g. powder material or solid material forexample a wire, through the pipe 102. Alternatively the pipe 102 may besecured to the hollow member 62.

The working head 68 generally comprises a first cylindrical portion 110at the first end 70 of the working head 68, a second part cylindricalportion 112 at the second end 72 of the working head 68 and a thirdportion 114 interconnecting the first cylindrical portion 110 and thesecond part cylindrical portion 112. The first light source 86, the end75 of the first optical fibre 74 and the at least one lens 80 arearranged in the first cylindrical portion 110 of the working head 68.The second light source 88, the end 77 of the second optical fibre 76and the mirror 82 are arranged in, or on, the second part, half,cylindrical portion 112. In particular the mirror 82 is supported on thesecond part cylindrical portion 112 by the gimballed mounting 84.

The gimballed mounting 84 comprises two perpendicular axes of rotation Xand Y. The mirror 82 is circular and the gimballed mounting 84 comprisesa C-shaped, or U-shaped, member 81. The mirror 82 is rotatably mountedabout one of its diameters, the axis of rotation axis X, between theends of the limbs 83A and 83B of the C-shaped member 81. The trough 85of the C-shaped member 81 is rotatably mounted to the second partcylindrical portion 112 at the second end 72 of the working head 68about the axis of rotation Y.

The working head 68 has a diameter of approximately 9 mm and the workinghead is made from a suitable metal or alloy, for example aluminium,aluminium alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, steel, nickel or nickelalloy. The lens 80 has a specific focal length, but the focal length maybe altered depending on how much space is available within the gasturbine engine 10 and the focal length is expected to be between andincluding 20 and 100 mm to account for the mirror 82. The mirror 82 ismounted by the gimballed mounting 84 so that two dimensional profiles ofthe laser beam L may be directed onto the surface of the component. Theworking envelope, the shape and area, of the laser beam L on thecomponent depends upon the distance between the mirror 82 and thecomponent. The greater the distance between the mirror 82 and thecomponent, the greater is the area of the envelope. The angle at whichthe laser beam L strikes the component determines the shape of theenvelope.

In operation the boroscope 60 is inserted through an aperture 52 in theouter compressor casing 50 and through an aperture 56 in the innercompressor casing 58. The boroscope 60 is then manipulated so that theworking head 68 is in proximity to a component, e.g. a rotor blade 38, astator vane 42 or other component, which has been damaged. The workinghead 68 of the boroscope 60, as mentioned above, is provided with twolight sources 86 and 88 and with respective associated optical fibres 74and 76. The second optical fibre 76 and the second light source 88enable an operator to view in a forward direction, parallel to the axisor longitudinal direction, of the hollow member 62 of the boroscope 60so that the operator is able to position the working head 68 of theboroscope 60 at the required location within the gas turbine engine 10and with respect to the component which has been damaged. Thus, theoperator uses the second optical fibre 76 to view the assembled gasturbine engine 10 within the outer compressor casing 50 and the innercompressor casing 58 of the gas turbine engine 10 using the secondoptical fibre 76 while moving the working head 68 of the boroscope 60 tothe component. The first optical fibre 74 and the first light source 86enable the operator to view in a sideways direction, transverse to theaxis or longitudinal direction, of the hollow member 62 of the boroscope60 so that the operator is able to monitor the operation and working ofthe laser. The gimballed mounting 84 of the mirror 82 is used to directthe laser beam from the third optical fibre 78 and lens 80 onto thesurface of the component. The galvanometer mechanisms 90 and 92 enablethe mirror 82 to be operated sufficiently quickly to provide laserprocessing of the surface of the component. The galvanometer mechanisms90 and 92 are operated to move the mirror 82 about one or both of theaxes of rotation X and Y to move the point, or area, of contact of thelaser beam over the surface of the component to process as much or aslittle of the surface of the component as is required without having tomove the working head 68. Rotation of the mirror 82 about the axis ofrotation X moves the point, area, of contact of the laser beam generallylongitudinally with respect to the boroscope 60 whereas rotation of theC-shaped member about the axis of rotation Y moves the point, area, ofcontact of the laser beam generally transversely with respect to theboroscope 60. Thus the gimballed mounting 84 provides an adjustablemounting which is arranged to change the angle of the mirror 82 relativeto the axis of the at least one lens 80. The adjustable mounting, thegimballed mounting, 84 comprises two perpendicular axes of rotation Xand Y and the mirror 82 is rotatable about the two axes of rotation Xand Y.

The laser beam may be used alone to clean the surface of a component.The laser beam may be used in conjunction with a supply of suitablematerial through the pipe 102. The pipe 102 may be arranged to supplywelding material, metal or alloy, into the laser beam to weld acomponent, to repair a crack in the component, or to weld two componentstogether etc. The pipe 102 may be arranged to supply welding material,metal or alloy, into the laser beam to provide a weld deposit on thecomponent to build up a worn portion of the component. The weldingmaterial in these two examples may be in the form of a solid material,e.g. welding wire. The pipe 102 may supply coating material, metal oralloy or ceramic, to provide or repair a coating on the component. Thecoating material may be a MCrAlY powder where M is Ni, Co, Fe or amixture of one or more of Ni, Co and Fe. The coating material may beNiAl powder or a mixture of Ni and Al powders to form a beta nickelaluminide coating or PtNiAl powder or a mixture of Pt, Ni and Al powdersto form a beta platinum modified nickel aluminide coating. The laserbeam is used to provide direct laser deposition process to provide orrepair the coating. The coating material may be a mixture of zirconiaand yttria powders or a mixture of zirconia and one or more otherstabilising oxide powders to form a thermal barrier coating. The pipe102 may be used to supply a metal coating, e.g. MCrAlY, NiAl or PtNiAlas discussed above, to provide a bond coating and then supply a ceramiccoating, e.g. zirconia and yttria as discussed above, a thermal barriercoating.

The laser beam is reflected off the mirror onto the surface of thecomponent during the processing of the surface of the component. In thecase of cleaning of the surface of the component the laser beam isdefocused using the lens or lenses so that the laser beam is spread overa large area. In the case of repairing the component the laser beam isfocused using the lens or lenses so that the laser beam is concentratedon a smaller area than for cleaning to heat and/or melt the surface ofthe component and melt the welding material supplied into the laser beamso that the welding material fills the crack in the surface of thecomponent or builds up on a worn portion of the surface of thecomponent. If the component has a coating the surface of the coatingforms the surface of the component and the laser beam is reflected ontothe surface of the coating on the component. The laser beam may thus beused to clean or repair the coating in a similar manner to thatdescribed above for a component without a coating except that a coatingmaterial is supplied into the laser beam rather than a welding material,e.g. to fill a crack in the coating or build up a worn portion of thesurface of the coating. If the component does not have a coating, thecomponent may be provided with a coating by reflecting the laser beamonto the surface of the coating and supplying coating material into thelaser beam to build up the coating on the surface of the component.

A boroscope 160 with an alternative working head 168 is shown in FIG. 8.The baroscope 160 and working head 168 are substantially the same asthat shown in FIGS. 3 to 7 and like parts are denoted by like numerals.The boroscope 160 differs in that the mirror 82 is not mounted on theworking head 168 by a gimballed mounting 84, but instead the mirror 82is mounted on a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) 184 chip. Themicro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) 184 chip is able to rotate, ortilt, about two perpendicular axes like the gimballed mounting 84 inorder to rotate the mirror 82 about one or the other or both of the axesof rotation X and Y of the MEMS chip 184 and electrical cables 198extend through the hollow member 62 from the first end 62 to the MEMSchip 184. The mirror 82 is nominally arranged at 45° to the axis of theat least one lens 80 and the MEMS chip 184 is arranged to change theangle of the mirror 82 relative to the axis of the at least one lens 80.The mirror 82 is provided with a reflective coating which has greaterreflective properties to the frequency of laser beam transmitted throughthe third optical fibre 78 to reduce the possibility of overheating ofthe mirror 82 and hence the MEMS chip 184. Thus the MEMS mounting 184provides an adjustable mounting which is arranged to change the angle ofthe mirror 82 relative to the axis of the at least one lens 80. Theadjustable mounting, the MEMS mounting, 184 comprises two perpendicularaxes of rotation X and Y and the mirror 82 is rotatable about the twoaxes of rotation X and Y. The MEMS chip 184 also enables the mirror 82to be operated sufficiently quickly to provide laser processing of thesurface of the component.

In operation of the boroscope 162 the laser beam transmitted through thethird optical fibre 78 is interrupted periodically, after preset timeintervals, to allow the mirror 82 and hence the MEMS chip 184 to cooldown. For example in operation the laser beam is transmitted through thethird optical fibre for a time period of 10 seconds and then interruptedfor a time period of several seconds, e.g. 1 to 3 seconds, and then thelaser beam is transmitted though the third optical fibre for a timeperiod of 10 seconds etc. Other suitable times may be used fortransmission and interruption of the laser beam.

The boroscope of the present invention allows the translation of a laserfocal point around a component within the gas turbine engine, or otherengine, machine or apparatus, without having to move the working head ofthe boroscope. The working head of the boroscope enables accuratecontrol of a laser beam for laser processing of a component within thegas turbine engine, or other engine, machine or apparatus, withouthaving to move the working head of the boroscope.

In an alternative baroscope, not shown, the first optical fibre 74surrounds the laser optical fibre 78 and provides a cladding for thelaser optical fibre 78.

The boroscope may be used in gas turbine engines, steam turbines,internal combustion engines, diesel engines, aircraft engines, shipengines, locomotive engines, nuclear reactors, construction sites,aircraft, ships, trains etc.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method of laser processing a componentwithin an assembled apparatus, the apparatus comprising a casingenclosing the component, the casing having at least one apertureextending there-through, the method comprising: inserting a boroscopethrough the aperture, the boroscope comprising a working head, theworking head having a first end and a second end, a first optical fiberextending through the boroscope to a position between the first end andthe second end of the working head, a second optical fiber extendingthrough the boroscope to the second end of the working head, a laseroptical fiber extending through the boroscope, a mirror adjustablymounted on the working head, wherein the mirror is rotatable about twoperpendicular axes of rotation axes, the laser optical fiber beingarranged to direct laser light transmitted through the laser opticalfiber onto the mirror on the working head, a first light source arrangedat a position between the first end and the second end of the workinghead, a second light source arranged at the second end of the workinghead and an actuator device to adjust the position of the mirror,viewing the assembled apparatus within the casing using the secondoptical fiber, viewing the assembled apparatus within the casing usingthe second optical fiber while moving the working head of the boroscopeto the component, transmitting a laser beam through the laser opticalfiber to the mirror, reflecting the laser beam off the mirror onto asurface of the component to process the surface of the component, andviewing the surface of the component and the laser beam with the firstoptical fiber to monitor the processing of the surface of the component.2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the processing of thesurface of the component comprises adjusting the position of the mirrorto move the laser beam over the surface of the component.
 3. The methodas claimed in claim 1 wherein the processing of the surface of thecomponent comprises cleaning the surface of the component.
 4. The methodas claimed in claim 1 wherein the boroscope comprises a pipe extendingthrough the boroscope to a position between the first and second ends ofthe working head and a device is arranged to supply powder materialthrough the pipe, and the processing of the surface of the componentcomprises supplying a powder material through the pipe onto the surfaceof the component and melting the powder material with the laser beam. 5.The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the processing of the surfaceof the component comprises supplying a welding material to weld thecomponent, to repair a crack in the component, to weld the component toanother component or to build up a worn portion of the component.
 6. Themethod as claimed in claim 4 wherein the processing of the surface ofthe component comprises supplying a coating material to provide acoating on the component or to repair a coating on the component.
 7. Themethod as claimed in claim 1 wherein the assembled apparatus comprises agas turbine engine.
 8. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein thecomponent is selected from the group consisting of a compressor blade, acompressor vane, a turbine blade and a turbine vane.
 9. The method asclaimed in claim 1 wherein the processing of the surface comprisesrotating the mirror about one or both the perpendicular axes of rotationaxes to move the laser beam over the surface of the component.
 10. Amethod of laser processing a component within an assembled apparatus,the apparatus comprising a casing enclosing the component, the casinghaving at least one aperture extending there-through, the methodcomprising: inserting a boroscope through the aperture, the boroscopecomprising a working head, the working head having a first end and asecond end, a first optical fiber extending through the boroscope to aposition between the first end and the second end of the working head, asecond optical fiber extending through the boroscope to the second endof the working head, a laser optical fiber extending through theboroscope, a mirror adjustably mounted on the working head by anadjustable mounting, the adjustable mounting comprising twoperpendicular axes of rotation and the mirror being rotatable about thetwo axes of rotation, the laser optical fiber being arranged to directlaser light transmitted through the laser optical fiber onto the mirroron the working head, a first light source arranged at a position betweenthe first end and the second end of the working head, a second lightsource arranged at the second end of the working head and an actuatordevice to adjust the position of the mirror, viewing the assembledapparatus within the casing using the second optical fiber, viewing theassembled apparatus within the casing using the second optical fiberwhile moving the working head of the boroscope to the component,transmitting a laser beam through the laser optical fiber to the mirror,reflecting the laser beam off the mirror onto a surface of the componentto process the surface of the component, and viewing the surface of thecomponent and the laser beam with the first optical fiber to monitor theprocessing of the surface of the component.